Joliet Man Facing Felony Fraud At Ron Tirapelli Ford Abandoned 'Jake The Cat' At Pet Shelter: Hounds Town

JOLIET, IL — Francis Sheridan Eaton, the 34-year-old Joliet west-side resident who was arrested by the Shorewood Police Department in January after patronizing the Ron Tirapelli Ford Dealership, is now facing accusations of abandoning Jake The Cat at the Hounds Town Naperville pet shelter on Route 59 and Ogden Avenue and refusing to pay the bill.

On April 2, Joliet Patch reported that Eaton faced formal charges from the Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow, accusing the Ron Tirapelli Ford customer of felony theft and felony deceptive practice. According to the criminal complaint, Eaton knowingly obtained or exerted unauthorized control over the property of Ron Tirapelli Ford on Jan. 7, which were automotive repair services, "with the intent to deprive the owner ... and the value of the property exceeded $10,000 but did not exceed $100,000," court records explain.

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Then, last week, Jim O'Boye, owner of the Hounds Town Naperville, reached out to Joliet Patch's editor after reading Patch's continuing coverage of Eaton for his truck repair incident at the Ron Tirapelli Ford.

According to Shorewood police, officers were called to Ron Tirapelli Ford in reference to a fraud report. At the auto dealership, the general manager told the Shorewood police that Eaton wrote a check in the sum of $13,568 from a closed account for the cost of his repairs.

Several attempts to reach out to Eaton to resolve the issue went unanswered, the arrest report noted. Later, Eaton showed up at Ron Tirapelli and the police officers asked him what happened with his check. He explained that the bank closed his account because the dollar amount raised red flags, according to the police.

Separately, the owner of Hounds Town Naperville asserts that Eaton abandoned his cat, Jake, at the pet shelter along Route 59 four months ago, and he's refusing to pay any bills for the cat's lodging and accommodations.

"Thank you for getting Jake the Cat's story out there," O'Boye told Patch. "This cat was brought in by Francis Eaton on Dec 30, 2025. We have had the cat ever since. The story from Francis was, his house in central Illinois burned down; he had to move to Joliet with relatives, and the relatives were allergic to the cat. He brought Jake to us to board in our Cat House, a 15 x 12 square foot room.

"Our policy is to collect payment upon pickup of the pet, or at the four-week mark of the stay," O'Boye explained.

"Jake has been here for 3 ½ months. Francis Eaton has not paid us. He gave a debit card number at the beginning of March, but it declines for insufficient funds every time. I bought the last round of cat food for Jake. Kitty litter is free of charge. He has no intention of paying us. I told Francis in mid-March that Jake needed to go home by April 1, 2026, or I would bring the cat to the DuPage Animal Control. Francis called DuPage Animal Control on April 3rd, stating his cat was there and (he) wanted it back. I hadn't brought Jake. I wanted to see if he would call and try to get his cat back for the nominal fee the animal control may charge. I will keep control of Jake until I get paid, or the Illinois Department of Agriculture says I can keep Jake due to owner abandonment," O'Boye informed Joliet Patch last Friday.

O'Boye said his Hounds Town Naperville is located at Route 59 and Ogden Avenue. "Offering fully interactive doggie daycare, overnight dog boarding, and pet spa services, Hounds Town Naperville is the place for dogs to be dogs ... Our natural pack environments allow dogs to play in groups of other dogs their own size, temperament, and play style all-day socialization that contributes greatly to a balanced life for a dog. Our themed overnight boarding suites allow for a relaxing and restful sleep after a full day of play," its owner explained.

As for Eaton's felony case in Will County, the Shorewood Police Department arrested Eaton for the crime of deceptive practices. Shorewood police officials said the Joliet man was given a citation and released with a court appearance.

Eaton also spent two days in the Will County Jail in October after Bolingbrook police arrested him on a temporary police hold for LaSalle County authorities. At that time, the jail showed Eaton as living in Lacon, a tiny community about 30 miles north of Peoria.